- "Idol" will not be giving back this year. The telethon episode that has been a part of the lineup for the past two seasons will be sidelined. Warwick blamed the faltering economy, which he said makes it “a bit crass to ask people to delve into pockets that are already stretched to heck and back just to keep their mortgage going” as well as the strain it puts on the crew having to produce not just two weekly shows but a mid-season extravaganza with Gives Back as well as the Superbowl-sized spectacle of the finale.

“It would be fair to say that it’s about half a dozen creative people that make ‘Idol.’ They do all the editing, all the shooting, they’ve got assistants and things, but it’s a very small creative team. When we stretch them to do an ‘Idol Gives Back’ as well as keep the mainline show on week after week, it kills us,” Warwick said.

Someone told me, I'm not sure how accurate this is, that Simon said they didn't feel comfortable asking people for money the way the economy is right now. Don't quote me on that. I do know they're not doing it though this year.

Someone told me, I'm not sure how accurate this is, that Simon said they didn't feel comfortable asking people for money the way the economy is right now. Don't quote me on that. I do know they're not doing it though this year.